I’m A Celebrity star Gemma Collins calls out David Haye for ‘fat-shaming’ her

Gemma Collins has responded after I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

South Africa viewers accused David Haye of ‘fat-shaming’ her.

The Towie icon, 45, returned to the jungle last year for its second All Stars edition, hoping to beat her measly 72-hour stint of 2014 – which she’s definitely smashed.

Joining her for the series, which was pre-filmed, was boxing pro David, also 45, who has certainly been ruffling feathers both in and outside of camp with his comments and opinions.

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In the footage, David begins by reading out a notice, instructing the camp to select two people for the Wretching Bull trial.

Suggesting David and Sir Mo Farah take on the challenge, Gemma looked at the heavyweight champ and said: ‘You said that, today, you wanted to do something.’
After he agreed, the GC began volunteering other campmates, who joked about her eagerness to put people forward.

Eventually, it was decided that Craig Charles would also join in what was hilariously dubbed Team Craig David, with the former Corrie actor keen to ‘try and get some stars, try and get some food’.

Offering a motivational talk before the trial, Gemma then said: ‘We all need to eat tonight.’
‘You know what I’m like without food.’
David then chimed in: ‘You need to eat?

Where was you last night?

And where was I last night.

What did I eat last night?’
After pausing for a beat, Gemma replied: ‘Do you know what?

Sometimes, eating a bit of humble pie makes us stronger and better as people.’
‘It does,’ agreed David, prompting Gemma to smile and add: ‘I know you’re gonna bring it back today.’
In the aftermath of the tense exchange, viewers have been fighting Gemma’s corner, declaring her ‘an absolute queen’.

‘He’s not coming over very nice at all’, wrote @jconsultancyltd_ on Instagram.

‘Not doing himself many favours is he’, added @_fionne_nancy_sunday_river.

‘Rude !!!!

No need to be nasty !’, said @karengannon7 of David’s quip.

‘I wish David would leave,the camp would have much better vibes, happy funny vibes,not spiteful horrible vibes’, wrote @jane_pennings.

@jessaflick even went as far as to call his behaviour ‘adult bullying’, while @griggs91 asked: ‘How is he not cancelled already’.

The camp is now down to 11 celebs after comedian Seann Walsh became the first to leave, with many annoyed that it wasn’t David, having argued that producers should have ‘stepped in’ to issue a warning for his comments.

Other moments that sparked fury included him ‘denying’ Gemma a drink of water and making another earlier jibe about her weight.

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Speaking to Craig, Gemma said: ‘I’ve got very thick hair, haven’t I?’
‘It definitely ain’t thin,’ David jumped in.

Reflecting later in the Bush Telegraph, Gemma told the camera: ‘You know what?

I’m not always used to people dealing with me in an abrupt manner.’
David has also been chastised for referring to his model girlfriend as an ‘ugly duckling’, leaving Scarlett Moffatt and Ashley Roberts stunned.

After calling her ‘lovely’, he added of Sian Osborne, whom he’s dated since 2020: ‘She’s got the personality of a proper ugly bird.’
Scarlett quickly scolded him, declaring, ‘You can’t say that, David!’, but he doubled down.

‘Why?

No, she has, honestly.

Most ugly girls realise they’ve gotta have a personality and the banter to tell jokes and s**t, so people overlook the fact that they’re not aesthetically amazing straight away.’
‘It’s called ugly duckling syndrome,’ he told his campmates, who listened in shock.

‘Where girls are ugly when they start off, then they get pretty as they get older, but they’ve still got the personality of when they were ugly.’
In the Bush Telegraph, Scarlett reflected that sometimes the things David says in camp go down ‘like a lead balloon’, while Beverley Callard said she had ‘never heard anything so sexist in [her] life’.

Taking to X in the aftermath, many said they had ‘turned off’ for good, refusing to continue watching David’s ‘nonsense’.

David first took part in I’m A Celebrity in 2012, finishing third.

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

South Africa continues tonight at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
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